MARCH

1603

"Upon this day about 2 of the clock in the morning died Queen Elizabeth, surrendering this mortal kingdom for an immortal, being aged three score and ten years and having reigned 44 years 5 months and odd days"

[Stow's Annals]

1602

"Sir George More hath now yielded forgiveness to Master Donne [note: the poet John Donne] for his marriage and together they petition the Lord Keeper that he will again take Mr. Donne to his Secretary; but he refuseth, saying though he is unfeignedly sorry for what is done, it sorteth not with his place and credit to discharge and readmit servants at the request of passionate petitioners."

[Walton's Life]

1598

"The Scottish King hath written a treatise of Daemonology, in form of a dialogue, and divided into three books, whereof the first treateth in general of magic and necromancy, the second of sorcery and witchcraft, and the third of those kinds of spirits that trouble men. The Devil, saith he, enticeth men and women on to witchcraft by three passions which are within ourselves, curiosity in ingenious minds, thirst of revenge, or greedy appetite of gear caused through great poverty. The first is the only enticement of magicians and necromancers, the other two of the sorcerers and witches."

[A Transcript of the Registers of the Company of Stationers of London 1554-1640 AD]

 

"Love's Labour's Lost, a play by Mr. Shakespeare that he wrote some time since, and being newly corrected and augmented was presented before Her Majesty this last Christmas, is being printed."

[S.T.C]

1597

"These few days past divers brewers have appeared before the Council, some of them committed to prison, and the rest bound to answer their contempt next term for selling beer at 10s. to 16s the barrel, whereas no beer should be sold above 5s. the barrel for small beer and 8s the better sort."

[Acts of the Privy Council, xxvi, 543]

1596

"Tis said in Court that the Queen purposeth to make a progress of some fifteen days to consume the Lent, and to return to Greenwich eight days before the soemn feast which she will keep there; for she seemeth weary of Surrey and would go over into Middlesex, from thence to Osterley, Highgate and Hackney. The old Lord Treasurer, upon some pet, would needs away agsinst her will on Thursday last, saying that her business was ended; and that he would for ten days go take physic. When the Queen saw it booted not to stay him, she said he was a froward old fool"

[Birch's Memoirs, i, 448]

1593

"Mr. Simon Kellway hath written A Defensative against the Plague, containing two parts, the first how to preserve from the plague, the second how to cure those that are infected, with a short treatise of the smallpox, is entered, being dedicated to the Earl of Essex."

[A Transcript of the Registers of the Company of Stationers of London 1554-1640 AD]

1592

"A proclamation is published ordering all mariners, who are pressed to serve with Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain of her Majesty's Guard, to repair to their ships immediately, upon pain of death, so that the service be in no way delayed"

[Proclamations p.208]